PRO FOOTBALL; Mann Turns Kramer and Game Around

Although the game wouldn't turn in Washington's favor until the third quarter, the Redskins' defense sent an ominous message to Detroit before the contest was even 50 seconds old.

The message, delivered by Charles Mann, the Redskins' veteran defensive end, planted seeds of doubt that would sprout into misgivings and finally into shattered confidence by the third quarter.

On the Lions' first play from scrimmage -- a first-and-10 on their own 24-yard line -- Washington's front four pushed Detroit's offensive line back in Erik Kramer's lap. Mann batted Kramer's first pass back into his face. After that Detroit was called for a false start.

Then on first-and-15 from the Detroit 19, Mann whipped around Scott Conover, the Lions' rookie right tackle, and buried his helmet in Kramer's chest as he prepared to release the ball. Kramer fumbled, Fred Stokes, the Redskins' right defensive end, recovered on the Lions' 11-yard line. Two plays later, Gerald Riggs crashed over and scored to give Washington the early lead. Setting the Tone

"That set the tone for the rest of the game," said Richie Petitbon, a Redskins' assistant coach and the defensive architect. "I think it made Kramer realize this was not going to be a walk in the park."

Indeed, a week earlier the Redskins had watched Kramer, a virtual rookie, stroll through the Dallas Cowboys' defense, completing 29 passes for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns in 38-6 rout.

The Redskins watched and watched again films of Kramer operating the run-and-shoot to perfection, sitting back in the pocket and picking the Cowboys' secondary to pieces.

"I watched the Dallas game last week and Kramer was just as cool and calm, and he didn't look like a rookie," Mann said. "He didn't look like a first-year guy. He sat in there and did what he wanted to do -- everything they did worked. We realized that right away that we had to confuse him, we had to disguise some coverages. We knew we had to get pressure on him -- not so much sack him but get our hands up distract him hurry him knock him around a little bit."

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Although Kramer passed for 249 yards, he was sacked 5 times for 32 yards and was frequently hurried into throwing before he was ready.

More than any strategic advantage it secured, Washington's first defensive series took away the spiritual impetus that had carried the Lions into the playoffs. In November, Mike Utley, the Lions' right tackle was paralyzed in a game against the Rams. Utley, who is in rehabilitation in a Colorado, became a rallying point for the rejuvenated Lions.

But this afternoon, Detroit paid a technical price for Utely's absence. Scott Conover, a first-year player from Purdue, has started in Utely's place. Mann's goal was to throw everything he had at Conover, early and often. Rushing Like a Bull

"I was going against a rookie and I felt at the beginning of the game I had to intimidate him," said Mann, who is completing his ninth pro season.

"So I decided to use what's called the 'bull rush,' I would explode and just try to knock him over and run over him if I could. But when I tried to do it, on that first play, he turned his shoulder and let me have the outside. So I took it; as soon as I took it, the quarterback was setting up in his three-step drop. I grabbed him as he was trying to throw the ball and he fumbled the ball."

Kramer was intercepted twice and the Lions fumbled three times this afternoon. Although they lost only one, the frequent, furious battering and the constant pressure on Kramer took its toll by the third quarter when Washington broke the game open with two touchdowns and a field goal.

"We got some of the wind knocked out of our sails in the second quarter," Mann said. "But we came in at halftime and said, 'Hey, look -- we have to lay it all on the line.' The first half was history. We knew the third quarter was very important. Our offense goes down and gets a field goal, we go in for three plays and get out, and we were off to the races."

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A version of this article appears in print on January 13, 1992, on Page C00006 of the National edition with the headline: PRO FOOTBALL; Mann Turns Kramer and Game Around. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe